Switch and computer control device for fluid pumps



Aug. 15, 1939. w. H. D. BROUSE 2,169,870

SWITCH AND COMPUTER CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLUID PUMPS Filed May 7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 InVn' oi Aug. 15, 1939.

W. H. D. BROUSE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l 'r? I \Q\ \i' g 19 zo Q s.

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15, 1939- w. H. D. BROUSE 2,169,870

SWITCH AND COMPUTER CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLUID PUMPS Filed May 7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Pn en tor. 55 William Kl]. Bream Aug. 15, 1939. v w BROUSE 2,169,870

SWITCH AND COMPUTER CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLUID PUMPS Filed May 7, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventor.

William HllBrause,

Patented Au e,- 1939 PATENT OFFICE} SWITCH AND COMPUTER CONTROL DEVICE FOR FLUID PUlVIPS William H. D. Brouse, Toronto, Ontario, Canada,

assignor to International Metal Industries Limited', Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application May 7, 1938, Serial No. 206,628

Claims.

The present invention relates particularly to fluid dispensing pumps such as are used in automotive service station equipment in the sale of asoline in which the fluid is elevated from a 5 storage tank and'forced through a suitable metering device to a delivery hose and a computing device arranged for indicating the amount of liquid dispensed and the price thereof is operated from the meter device" and the principal in object of the invention is to safeguard the purchaser from the improper operation of the device and the computing of charges in excess of the goods actually" delivered, the device being constructed so that the computing members will be 15. covered by a shutter unless the computing members have been turned to zero prior to the dispensing operation being commenced,

The principal features of the invention consist in the novel construction and arrangement of a 29 mechanism introduced between the switch control mechanism and the computing mechanism whereby the shutter device on \the computing mechanism is closed by the operation of the starting member of the switch control mechanism if the computing mechanism is not returned to the zero position, to thereby indicate to the customer that the dispensing mechanism is not being properly operated.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a 30 small perspective view of a fluid dispensing pump of the type to which this invention may be applied.

Figure 2 is an enlarged elevational detail of the switch control mechanism and the mecha- 35 nism introduced between the switch control and the computing mechanism to control the shutter mechanism of the computer.

Figure 3 is a plan and part horizontal sectional view of the structure illustrated in Figure 2. 40 Figure 4 is a side elevational detail in part section of the pump control mechanism.

Figure 5 is an elevational detail of the shutter control mechanism with its parts in the position ready to start the motor with the computing is mechanisms reset to zero.

Figure 6 is an'elevational detail of the mechanism illustrated in-Figure 5 showing the position assumed by the parts with the pump motor in operation. I

:.c Figure 7 is an elevational detail similar to Figures 5 and 6 showing the relative position of parts when the motor has been stopped after having been operated.

Figure 8 is an elevational detail of the parts 55 illustrated in Figure 7 in the position assumed if the motor is started without the computor being returned to zero.

Figure 9 is an elevational detail of the parts'illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 shown at a point intermediate of the operation of returning the com- 5 puter to zero. v

Figure 10 is an elevational view of the parts illustrated in Figure 9 showing the position of the parts when the computer has been reset and before the shutters are open in the completion 10 of the resetting operation.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic elevational view of the computing mechanism illustrating the arrangement of the shutter mechanism.

Numerous different types of liquid dispensing 15 pumps have been devised which use a standard form of computing mechanism operated by the meter and these computing devices are provided with drums bearing numerals indicating the amount of liquid delivered and the price computed for the amount dispensed.

The structure of computing device illustrated in Figure 11 shows cylinders or discs A and B supported on opposite sides of a framework mounted within the standard C (Figure 1), so

. that the numerals on the peripheries show through openings in the standard casing.

Pivotal shutters D and E are mounted to swing onthe axes of these cylinders and they are interconnected by links F and G to operate simultaneously.

The shutter mechanism (which per se is not part of the present invention) is operated by a disc H mounted on a shaft J which is provided with a slotted hub l2 which supports a shaft I5 which is hereinafter described.

These computing devices are provided with means for resetting the indicating mechanism to zero following the conclusion of a sale and this resetting mechanism may be operated manually. 40

The resetting mechanism is connected with shutter devices which coverover the indicator drum while they are being returned to zero and the shutters remain in the covering position until the computing mechanism is returned to zero and 5 at that point the shutters are automatically released.

Numerous. forms of dispensing pumps have pump motor control devices which can be operated without the necessity of returning the indicator to zero. Consequently it is possible for employees of a service station to dispense the fluid either by carelessness or design without returning the computing mechanism at zero and the customer is. unable to determine the true amount of liquid dispensed and the true value thereof.

It is the purpose of this invention to avoid such mistakes by providing means which will ensure the return of the computing mechanism to zero ing I in the pump casing.

A suitable latch mechanism 8 is mounted on the support -4 to engage and hold the starting plunger inwardly to retain the motor in operation. This latch mechanism is provided-with a dis-engaging toggle 9 to throw the latch out .of operative engagement with the starting plunger and a stopping plunger I 8 is provided slidably mounted in the bushing ll mounted in the pump casing.

The particular construction and arrangement of the starting and stopping plungers and the latch mechanism does not form an intimate part of the present invention and is described in detail .in a co-pendi'ng application for patent. Sufiicient of this mechanism is however shown for the purpose of illustrating the pump motor switch arm 2 and the co-operative arrangement of the starting plunger.

The computing mechanism shown herein, is

provided with a shaft l2 herein shown with diametrically opposed slots l3, the sides of which engage a pin I4 mounted in the shaft l5 which carries a cam l6 for operating the latch resetting mechanism.

A stud i1 is rigidly mounted on the frame of the pump structure in axial alignment with the shaft l5 and is preferably provided with an enlarged circular head l8 which fits within a counterbore I9 of a sleeve member 28 rotatably mounted on the stud.

The end of the shaft l5 opposite to the end connected to the shaft i2 of the computer mechanism, is secured within the counterbored end of the sleeve 28 by a cross pin 2|. It will thus be seen that the rotation of the shaft i2 which is operated by the resetting mechanism of the com-' puter device, rotates the shaft l5 and the sleeve 28 in unison. The sleeve 28 is provided with a circuar disc 22 having a small V-shape notch 23 in its periphery. V

A disc 24 is mounted to rotate on the stud l1 and is arranged closely adjacent to the end face of the disc face 22 and it has a peripheral notch 25 which extends inwardly beyond the periphery of the disc 22 and is substantially of the same depth as the notch 23, that is to say, the apex of' these notches will coincide when the notches are brought opposite each other.

The disc 24 is provided with an arc-shaped slot 26 illustrated in dotted lines in Figures 5 to and a'pin 21 secured in the disc 22 extends into' said slot and is adapted to engage the ends thereof and provide a limited relative rotative movement between the discs 22 and 24.

An arm 28 is pivotally mounted on the stud l1 adjacent to the disc 24 and a rod 28 connects the outer end of this arm with the arm 2 of the bell crank member 3, so that when the arm -2 is moved downwardly by the pressing inwardly of the starting plunger 6, the rod 29 swings the arm 28 downwardly from the position illustrated in Figures 2- and 5 to the position illustrated in Figure 6.

The inner portion of the arm 28 has an angular extension 38 and upon a pin 3| secured on'this extension is pivotally mounted a latch dog 32 which has a triangular-shaped tooth 33 on its upper side which'isadapted to enter the notches 23 and 25. The width of the tooth 33 is such that itspans the adjacent discs 22 and 24. The dog 32 is held in operative engagement with the perimeter of the disc 24 by a coil compression spring 34 held in position by a lug extension 35 on the arm extension 38.

I It will be understood that as the sleeve 28 and consequently the disc 22 is secured by the pin 2| to the shaft l5 and that the shaft I5 is operatively connected with the shaft l2 of the computer device, the said sleeve 28 and disc 22 do not rotate except when operated through the resetting mechanism of the computing device, but when the arm 28 is operated through the swinging of the bell crank lever 3, the extension 38 operates to move the latch to slide around the perimeter of the disc 24 until it drops into the notch 25 and therefore engages the perimeter of the disc 22. The latch mechanism remains in this position when the pump motor is running; When thestopping plunger I8 is pushed inwardly to release the latch holding the starting plunger and the spring 5 swings the bell crank lever, moving the arm 2 thereof upwardly, the arm 28 is swung upwardly to the position shown in Figure 7, This movement swings the extension 38 and as the disc 22 remains stationary the latch slides around on its perimeter-carrying disc 24 until it drops gether so'that if the starting plunger is pressed inwardly to swing the bell crank 2 and operate the motor, the locked latch will rotate both discs 22 and 24 and will turn the sleeve 28 and the shaft l5 connected thereto, which in turn will rotate the shaft 12 and will swing the shutters of the computing mechanism down over the indicating drums, so that the drum will be hidden from the customer to whom the liquid is being served. With the machine running and the indicator covered he will at once detect that something is wrong.

Upon the release of the starting plunger which, due to other mechanism not herein described indetail, it can only be held in manually during the dispensing operation without'the computing mechanism being reset and the arm 2 swings upwardlycarrying with it the arm 28, returning it to the position as illustrated in Figure-7. If however, the operator manipulates the mechanism in a legitimate manner, he operates the resetting mechanism of the computer before attempting to start his pump motor.

In the operation of the resettingmechanism the shaft I2 is rotated and with it the shaft l5 .and sleeve 28 in the direction indicated by arrow in-Flgures'l and 9. The tooth of the latch dog 32 by' this movement of the disc lifts out of the notch 23 and a slight movement of the disc brings the pin 21 into engagement with one end of the slot 26 and the disc 24 is then carried with the disc 22. a.

only when said rotatable disc members are in a computing mechanism is adapted upon being turned to its maximum point of operation and then released, automatically turned back a distance of 45 and in being thus turned back the shaft l5 turns the sleeve and its disc 22 back from the position illustrated in Figure 10 to the position illustrated in Figure 5 with the pin approximately engaging the right-hand end of the slot 26. The length of the slot permits the re-- turn movement of 45 of the resetting mechanism which carries with it the shutter mechanism so that the indicating numerals on the computing mechanism will be clear for vision and show the customer that they have been returned to zero. The pump may then be started in a legitimate manner and'the shutters will not be operated, as the arm 28 will swing until the latch drops into the notch 25 of the disc 24 as heretofore described.

This device is, as will be readily appreciated, extremely simple. It costs very little to manuiacture and instal upon a dispensing apparatus and will co-operate with the usual type of computing and starting control device.

What I claim as my invention is-- 1. In a fluid dispensing device, the combination with the fluid pump control mechanism and the computing mechanism having shutters movable to cover and uncover the indicator dials, of means connected with the shutter mechanism and operatively connected with the fluid pump control adapted on the operation of the pump control to move the shutter mechanism to obscure the indicator dials and thereby prevent reading thereof if the dials have not been returned to the zero position, said means including a rotary lost-motion drive connection between the pump control and the shutter mechanism.

2. In a fluid dispensing device, the combination with the fluid pump control mechanism and the computing mechanism having shutters movable to cover and uncover the indicator dials operatively connected with means for resetting said dials, of relatively rotatable disc members one of which is connected to rotate with the resetting means, means connected with said pump control mechanism and operably engageable with said rotatable member to operate said shutter mechanism only when said rotatable disc members are in predetermined relatively rotated relation, and

operable independent of said shutter mechanism means whereby said pump controlmechanism is 1 different relatively rotated relation.

3. In a fluid dispensing device, the combination with the fluid pump control mechanism and the computing mechanism having shutters to cover the indicator dials operatively connected with means for resetting said dials, of a rotatable member connected to rotate with the resetting means, a rocker member operatively connected with the pump control mechanism, means mounted on said rocker member adapted to engage andturn said rotatable member to operate said shutter mechanism, and a rotatable member having a limited rotative movement relative to the aforesaid rotatable member and co-operating with the means mounted on-the rocker member for turning the shutter-operating rotatable member.

4. In a fluid dispensing device, the combination with the fluid pump control mechanism and the computing mechanism having shutters to cover the indicator dials operatively connected with means for resetting said dials, of a disc connected to rotate with the resetting means and having a notch in its periphery, a disc mounted coaxially with the aforesaid disc and having a notch in its periphery, a rocker member mounted to swing on the axis of said discs, a latch mounted on said rocker engaging the peripheries of said discs and spring-operated to enter the notches therein to rotate said discs, and means connecting said rocker with the pump control mechanism.

5. In a fluid dispensing device, the combination with the fluid pump control mechanism and the computing mechanism having shutters to cover the indicator dials operatively connected with means for resetting said dials, of a disc connected to rotate with the resetting means and having a notch in its periphery, a pin rigidly secured to said disc and extending laterally therefrom,.a disc mounted co-axially with the aforesaid disc-having a notch in its periphery and a circumferential slot to receive the pin on the aforesaid disc, a rocker member mounted to swing on the axis of said discs, a toothed latch member mounted on said rocker member and springoperated to engage the peripheries of said discs and to enter the notches therein, and means connecting said rocker with the pump control mechanism.

WILLIAM H. D. BR'OUSE. 

